Why aren’t there any pictures of the food? The ingredients? The process? Haven’t you ever seen a food blog before?

Oddly enough, I’ve even trained as a photographer. I’ve sold photographs. I even shot an event once to help someone out. But, photographing food isn’t really a passion of mine. And making food that’s prettier than it is tasty isn’t really a goal of mine.

Besides, this isn’t really a “food blog.” This is just the ramblings and eatings of a writer/candlemaker/etc. I don’t want to cook dinner at 10 am so I can shoot it in the best light. I don’t want to shellac ingredients for shine or use Crisco as ice cream to get the perfect shot.

I also don’t feel like setting unrealistic expectations about what food needs to look like to taste good. Or how messy a kitchen should or shouldn’t get when three friends are drinking wine and assembling a meal. I don’t want to constantly put down spoons and pick up cameras or clean grease off a lens.

If you want to try a recipe and you want to shoot pictures of it, enjoy.

Why don’t you post regularly? I’m expecting a meal a week out of you, lady.

I post whenever I feel like I made something interesting enough to post. Lately, I’ve been told some of the things I don’t think of as “recipes” are good and should be shared. Maybe I will. At any rate. It’s not a food blog.

Why do you use so many processed foods? Don’t you know that’s bad for you? Don’t you shop indie farmer’s markets? Don’t you know that stuff’ll kill you?

I use what’s handy or what I know the husband will eat. Sometimes I use what’s on sale. I shop the local farmer’s market for fruits and veggies often, but like most people, the end of the day arrives and the locally-grown organic green thing has turned rotten or grown fuzzy because I bought it two days before thinking I’d eat it and then I forgot. Or, the end of the day shows up and I just want to make something easy. Or I’m craving some variation of a thing I used to eat when I ate meat and the most convincing substitutes are generally made by Gardein or Lightlife or Tofurkey or Field Roast. Which means if you have a meat-lover in the family and want to try Meatless Mondays, one of those brands is probably a good way to go.

I use more spices and herbs than my mother knows exist. I make things I like or that the husband enjoys. There are plenty of actual food blogs for from-scratch cooking.

What gives you the right to tell me how to eat?

Simmer down. Eat whatever you want. I just throw recipes out there for people who want to try them. It’s also basically a recipe book for me that I don’t have to store and can let Google index for me. Don’t ask me how many times I’ve propped the laptop up on the counter for the Rosemary Biscuit recipe.

I also like “camp cooking” and I know too many people who think eating at camp means hot dogs and hamburgers or that eating on the road means fast food, diners, or PB&J. I also like traveling to places where the only “vegan option” is a glass of water. Neither hunger nor intestinal distress are good road buddies. Better to make it myself.